Consumer labels should acknowledge producers effort to maintain biodiversity.

Cultivated biodiversity as a support to food system resilience

Rural topic(s): Agroecology and agroforestry, Local food Chains

Type: Réflexions de membres du FS ou d’autres acteurs locaux

Date of writing: September 13, 2012

Author(s) of the proposal: Francis Michaux

Context:

Ancient orchards in the Pyrenean foothills have come back to life with the help of Renova, an association that revitalises plantations and helps people learn to prune trees, harvest and process their produce.

Text:

Cultivated biodiversity as a support to food system resilience

Centre director Francis Michaux explains the vital role of cultivated biodiversity, not just of fruit trees but also in traditional animal breeds, cereals and vegetables, for healthy agricultural landscapes. Such variety is under threat from national and European legislators and regulators intent on homogeneity for largely commercial reasons, posing big dangers to the environment and to the resilience of food systems. He suggests that the work of those who husband biodiversity should benefit from consumer labels on their produce acknowledging their effort, on top of existing designations such as organic or regional.

Cultivated biodiversity as a support to food... por ForumSynergies

Comments:

Renova is a thriving association whose work has now spread beyond its original geographical borders. It is helped by the ambassadorial role played by a dozen or so mobile juicing units, which practically demonstrate the strength of its arguments in favour of cultivated biodiversity.

Notes:

Source of the information: author visit on September 10, 2012 that included extended conversation, questioning and video interviews in the context of the Sustainable Mystery Tour 2012.

Contact:

Francis Michaux, director of the Renova processing centre « Les Plagnes », Route de Montbrun 09230 Daumazan-sur-Arize +33 5.61.60.27.71 renova@free.fr renova.arize.fr

Informations:

Scale of intervention : Local, Regional

Keywords: Biodiversity, agricultural policy, conservation and management of natural resources, locally-based economy, Sustainable Mystery Tour 2012

Places: France

Actors: association